Can there be too much black w/ 40i Sport Pro?

11-29-2025

FWIW, first post in this forum... bear with me! I recently ordered a 40i w/ Sport Pro in Brooklyn Grey and 740M wheels, and will get more meaty tires similar to Silver Anniversary (not available in Canada) launch photos. While I'm very much liking the G05 LCI X5 in general, there are a few design elements that I might make a few changes to as I keep vehicles for ~8-10 years:

1) the \\||////X5 isn't to my taste.
2) the LCI adopts the larger fake vent plate behind the front wheels... when I'm thinking it looks less superfluous with the original X5 base model vents... just my taste of course.
3) the sport pro comes with a lot of black up front, which I can appreciate as being more aggressive, but to what end? It's taking away from what's left of an already fractured BMW design language.

For this 3rd tweak... I mocked up a couple options and would love some input (can paint or vinyl wrap). Hopefully the attached image (hacked photoshop) uploads correctly. Thoughts?

An image attached to this post, provided by the poster

An image attached to this post, provided by the poster

11-30-2025

If you are thinking of body painting part of the front gloss black area (option B), I'd look at painting all of it as some others on the forum have done. As mocked up, I don't really think it changes the look much at all from stock.

As for the third option, you can't make that entire vertical area body colored as the front camera is located at the bottom of that area between the two kidneys; That will always be black.

Going with a darker colored paint job lessens the sharp contrast between body color and black areas on the front end. I don't love the design of the front with the black horizontal "bar" across the face of the car, but with my paint color it blends in under many lighting conditions. If it didn't, I would like have the whole thing painted body color to get rid of the mustache look.

Also, another thought re: the lighting element on the dashboard: you can have it wrapped as I did. Satin black vinyl to mask it takes that out of the equation. I had mine done shortly after taking delivery and it's holding up perfectly almost 18 months later.

11-30-2025

BigVegas17 Thanks. For the interior, I was thinking the same thing. Nice to see the pic, and yes the Satin Black is perfect. Did you (or the wrap installer) need to remove the trim piece with the lighting element, or was it reasonably easy to do in-place?

For the front, good point that the camera is there in black... practically, that rules out Option C. And I was leaning darker, but my better half pushed for the lighter Brooklyn - which makes all the black elements pop (for better or worse)

11-30-2025

Good to know others have taken it into their own hands... https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2003289&page=2

11-30-2025

M0M3NTUM wrote
Did you (or the wrap installer) need to remove the trim piece with the lighting element, or was it reasonably easy to do in-place?

They didn't remove any trim when they wrapped that piece. When I picked up the car, I asked how hard it was and they said "it took some finesse but overall it wasn't too bad to wrap."

11-30-2025

Side by side by side...

11-30-2025

My thoughts, buy as is or move on. So much over thinking here.

11-30-2025

This is one of the reasons I went with Sapphire Black even though I swore I’d never buy another black car since they’re so hard to keep clean and looking their best. Unfortunately designers seem hell bent of coming up with new “aggressive” styling rather than refining actual appealing designs. Same with the LCI DRL design and pulsing turn signals which are new and different but not better and almost unanimously seen as worse. Luckily these and other changes are pretty minor and some of the other LCI improvements are a daily benefit for me so I’m not put off by the overall package.

11-30-2025

M0M3NTUM wrote
Side by side by side...

My vote is B

04-02-2026

My vote for D

04-03-2026

My vote for C. This is why I didn't go for the sport pro. I didn't like all the black up front.

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Can there be too much black w/ 40i Sport Pro?